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Gerhard Kirchmair Experimental Physicist

Gerhard Kirchmair’s research interests include quantum optics, fundamental quantum physics, quantum information processing and quantum simulation as well as using quantum systems for advanced sensing applications. Kirchmair’s lab at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum information and the University of Innsbruck currently focuses on using superconducting circuits to realize a quantum simulator of complex spin models in one and two dimensions. The experiments will allow his team to gain insight into quantum systems comprised of several tens of qubits approaching a size where simulation with a classical computer becomes challenging. An understanding of these systems will allow his team to study quantum many body phenomena and e.g. answer open questions in spin transport on frustrated two dimensional spin lattices. In another project his team tries to combine superconducting circuits with micromechanical oscillators with the aim to cool massive objects into the quantum regime, which has applications in fundamental and applied science. With such a system it might even be possible to test the limits of quantum mechanics predicted by several collapse models